Community Engagement Manager

The role

You will develop and lead community engagement and market presence strategies across Minnesota. You will build relationships with local officials and community organizations to support distributed energy projects.

What you will do

• Develop and lead community engagement and market presence strategies across Minnesota.
• Identify key stakeholders and assess community sentiment.
• Build relationships with local officials and community organizations.
• Develop tools and processes to track engagement efforts.
• Represent Sparkfund in meetings with local governments and community groups.
• Plan and facilitate informational sessions and community meetings.
• Partner with internal teams to consider community perspectives during project development.
• Support local approval processes and engagement with authorities having jurisdiction.
• Maintain records of stakeholder communications and outreach activities.
• Partner with Marketing to develop accessible materials and talking points.

Required qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in community relations, stakeholder engagement, public affairs, or a related field.
• Experience developing and executing community engagement strategies.
• Strong communication and presentation skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, stakeholders, and project timelines.
• Sound judgment when navigating sensitive conversations and community concerns.
• A bachelor's degree or equivalent professional experience.

Nice to have

• Experience in energy, utilities, infrastructure, or another regulated industry.
• Familiarity with Minnesota communities, local government, and permitting or regulatory processes.
• Experience organizing public meetings or community engagement for infrastructure or land-use projects.
• Experience using CRM platforms, engagement dashboards, or AI-enabled tools.
• An entrepreneurial mindset and experience building new processes or programs.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance
• 401(k) with a 2% employer match
• Flexible vacation policy and federal holidays
• Half-day Fridays
• 12 weeks of gender-neutral paid caregiver leave
• One-time work-from-home equipment stipend
• $100 monthly phone and internet allowance

About the company

Sparkfund is a utility services company that enables utilities, energy majors, and large-load customers to deploy front-of-the-meter batteries and gensets. The company has deployed more than 3,200 projects across 43 states.